Addisu Mekonnen

Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia

AND

PhD candidate, Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Dep of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Norway

Abstract

The Bale monkey (Chlorocebus djamdjamensis) is a little-known arboreal primate species endemic to the montane forests of the southern Ethiopian Highlands. Until recently, Bale monkeys were believed to be confined to bamboo forest habitats, specializing on the young leaves of highland bamboo (Arundinaria alpina). However, recent surveys showed that Bale monkeys persist in several small and isolated forest fragments where bamboo was eradicated decades ago. I will provide summaries of my past, current and future studies on Bale monkeys in the southern Ethiopian Highlands. My presentation will focus on the distribution, habitat preference, population status, feeding ecology, ranging and locomotor behaviour of Bale monkeys as well as other current and future research on the species including conservation genetics and gastrointestinal parasitic ecology. In addition, I will also highlight ongoing and future studies of several other endemic Ethiopian primates: Boutourlini’s blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis boutourlinii), black and white colobus monkeys [Djaffa Mountains Guerezas (Colobus guereza gallarum) and Omo River Guerezas (C. g. guereza)] and geladas (Theropithecus gelada), and De Brazza's monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus). These studies will contribute to the development of scientifically based conservation measures for the endemic primates of Ethiopia. In sum, this talk will provide an overview of the behaviour and ecology of several little-known Ethiopian non-human primates and provide the basis for potential future collaborations with DPZ scientists.